Rishabh Pant marked his ODI comeback with a blistering 77 off just 40 balls as he tore into the England bowlers in the second game of the series in Pune. The 23-year-old built on the platform set by Virat Kohli and KL Rahul en route his highest ODI score.
The 23-year-old's inclusion in the playing XI was questioned by many, as Suryakumar Yadav seemed to be a like-for-like replacement for the injured Shreyas Iyer. However, Rishabh Pant silenced his naysayers with a phenomenal innings to help his team post a formidable 336-6 on the board.
Continuing his sizzling batting form across formats, Rishabh Pant hit the ground running against England. After a watchful start, the left-hander soon opened up, as he sent the English bowlers on a leather hunt, scoring three fours and seven sixes.
Fans on Twitter have understandably gone ga ga over the left-hander's entertaining innings as Rishabh Pant continues his purple patch across formats.
Although Rishabh Pant fell short of his maiden ODI hundred, he has put his team in a commanding position to clinch the series. Here's what Twitterati reacted after Pant's blitzkrieg.
Rishabh Pant had walked out to bat after Virat Kohli (66) fell off the last ball of the 32nd over. The left-hander quickly set about ensuring that the hosts continued their momentum and didn't let England come back into the game.
Pant announced his intentions with a six off Adil Rashid before hitting consecutive maximums off Ben Stokes. The Curran brothers were the next to face the fury of the left-hander, with Pant hitting a sensational one-handed six off Sam.
The left-hander reached his fifty off 28 balls before holing out to sweeper cover off Tom Curran to perish for 77 off 40 deliveries. Thanks to Rishabh Pant's phenomenal innings, India posted a mammoth total on the board and look good to clinch the three-match series.